Consumer Electronics Daily News

Startup PlayMG Corp. Unveils Sleek New Pocketable MG Device as First Dedicated Portable Gaming System for the Android Market -- Available Holiday 2012

PlayMG™ Corp., a new startup comprised of electronics, game and social industry veterans who have come together to fuel the redesign of gaming™ and bring "more game" affordably into people's lives, announces MG™ -- the first dedicated portable Wi-Fi gaming system for the massive 60,000-plus Android freemium app games market. MG's big 4" touchscreen, rounded corners and grip and exclusive new features cater to the heaviest segment of game users -- 63 million kids under 18 years-old, 39 million of which do not yet have smartphones.

"Like the music business before it, the gaming industry is experiencing a dramatic digital transformation, where emerging 'app based gaming' is becoming the dominant method of playing and purchasing games," said T. Scott Edwards, PlayMG Founding Partner and Marketing Guru.

By eliminating the need to purchase expensive data plans or packaged games, the MG does not carry the high total costs traditionally associated with smartphones and portable gaming devices. With a competitive suggested retail price of $169.00, each MG will include both preloaded games and a cash credit toward future game purchases. The first 2,000 early adopters who visit Kickstarter and pledge $99 will be rewarded with an MG this holiday season. Other supporters will be able to order their MG for $149.

The MG Family Collaboration System -- a new feature in the portable gaming space -- includes a "DebitSmart" Digital Wallet and "Remote Trust" notification functions. The MG "DebitSmart" Digital Wallet allows parents to set up a reloadable debit account for their teen's MG and create "game allowances" that link their credit card or bank account to a set amount. Parents will no longer need to be bothered every time their teen wants to make a 99 cent purchase or worry about surprise charges. MG's "Remote Trust" notification allows kids the freedom to discover, download and play the games they want from the app marketplace, while parents can opt in to receive email updates on their kids' MG activity.

MG is also one of the first gaming devices to carry Android 4.0's new Face Unlock security feature utilizing MG's built-in front-facing camera.

The MG comes with a standard SD port, allowing users to add expandable memory to download and save as many games, and even music and videos, as desired.

"You are not held hostage to the MG's memory like you are with an iTouch," said Taylor Cavanah, MG Founding Partner and Meta Gamer. "You can instantly add 16GB of memory for around $20."

The MG runs on Android 4.0 -- Ice Cream Sandwich (ICS) -- which means many of the great game apps designed to operate on ICS can be fully experienced on the MG, unlike many of the mobile devices locked into data plans by service providers that haven't upgraded.

To ensure fulfillment and logistics for the holiday 2012 season, PlayMG has partnered with Fulfillment by Amazon. PlayMG is also currently in talks with major retailers throughout the country and will be announcing those partnerships as they are finalized.

IK Multimedia announces iRig KEYS The universal portable keyboard controller for iPhone, iPod touch, iPad and Mac/PC

IK Multimedia - a leader in mobile music creation accessories for iOS - is proud to announce iRig™ KEYS, the first ultra-slim and highly portable universal MIDI controller keyboard for iPhone, iPod touch, iPad and Mac/PC.

iRig KEYS connects directly to the dock connector of the iOS device or the USB port on Mac/PC. It features 37 velocity-sensitive mini-keys - 3 full octave range plus one note, which takes up minimal space when used on a desktop, and can easily fit in a backpack or a carry-on bag.

iRig KEYS is Core MIDI and USB class compliant for a true plug-and-play experience both with iOS devices or Mac/PC, with no additional apps, software or drivers needed. For total mobility, iRig KEYS also is an ultra-low power consumption unit. When hooked up to an iPhone/iPod touch/iPad, it can be powered by the device and for longer playing sessions it can be powered by the available USB port. When connected to a Mac/PC, the USB port powers it.

Players simply hook it up to an iOS device or a computer and start playing. iRig KEYS can be used for live performance, songwriting and composition with the included apps and software or with a multitude of other MIDI compatible instruments and recorders on any iOS, MacOS or Windows system.

For maximum playing comfort and versatility, iRig KEYS includes regular modulation and pitch-bending wheels, plus an input for an optional standard sustain pedal that accommodates any playing style, all housed in a sleek ultra-compact durable package.

iRig KEYS features an "easy-to-use" programmable control panel with 5 backlit soft-touch buttons and one volume/data knob. Program and Octave up/down buttons are included plus a Set button that allows storage of up to 4 different customized set-ups for the two wheels and the data knob. Each set-up can be instantly recalled for specific instruments configurations. An Edit mode is also available to transpose the keyboard, send specific program change messages, change MIDI channel and reassign the data knob MIDI control changes in a flash.

For iPhone, iPod touch and iPad, iRig KEYS comes with:
SampleTank for iPhone or iPad FREE, the virtual sound module including a complete selection of acoustic, electric and electronic instruments and patterns, unlocking 48 bonus instruments in addition of the 20 included with the free version (to be downloaded from the App Store)

On Mac/PC iRig KEYS come with a downloadable version of:
SampleTank 2 L the Mac/PC sample workstation, available both as a stand-alone and as a plug-in for most popular DAW (including GarageBand, Logic, ProTools, Cubase, Live, Sonar and more) with 2 GB of samples in every instruments category (to be downloaded from the IK Multimedia online User Area)

iRig KEYS will be shipping in Autumn 2012 for €74.99 (ex VAT) and will be available in musical instruments and electronic retailers around the world. Pre-orders are now available from the IK Online store and other selected online stores.

Six Innovative Products Headline Variety Of New NETGEAR Technologies At IFA 2012

NETGEAR®, Inc., a global networking company that delivers innovative products to consumers, businesses and service providers, today introduced a full line-up of new innovative products at the IFA 2012 conference. The products demonstrate NETGEAR's leadership in networking technologies for consumers and small-and medium-sized businesses. At IFA 2012, taking place in Berlin, Germany, from August 31 to September 5, the new products on display in Hall 12 at NETGEAR booth # 102 will include:

NETGEAR N600 Wireless Dual Band Gigabit ADSL2+ Modem Router (DGND3700B)
The NETGEAR N600 Wireless Dual Band Gigabit ADSL2+ Annex B Modem Router (DGND3700B) is the ultimate integrated DSL networking gateway. It offers concurrent dual band technology to avoid interference and ensure top speeds, as well as the greatest range possible to handle demanding applications like streaming HD video and multiplayer gaming. Key features include NETGEAR ReadySHARE® Cloud, DLNA media server compatibility and NETGEAR ReadySHARE Printer, which enables wireless printing from any computer to a connected USB printer.

NETGEAR Powerline Music Extender (XAUB2511)
The NETGEAR Powerline Music Extender (XAUB2511) allows music to be played wirelessly on any speaker anywhere at home from a tablet, smartphone or computer. It turns any power outlet into an Internet connection, and can convert a USB printer or USB hard drive into a network device that is accessible from any connected device.

NETGEAR Powerline 500 Nano PassThru 2-Port (XAVB5602)
The NETGEAR Powerline 500 Nano PassThru 2-Port (XAVB5602) turns any electrical outlet at home into a high-speed 500 Mbps network, which is perfect for applications such as HDTV, multiple HD/3D video streams, streaming multimedia and multiplayer gaming. It comes with two fast Ethernet ports to simultaneously connect multiple devices to your home network or to the Internet.

NETGEAR Powerline 500 PassThru WiFi Access Point (XWNB5602) and Powerline 500 WiFi Access Point (XWNB5201)
The NETGEAR Powerline 500 WiFi access points (XWNB5602 and XWNB5201) are the first Powerline WiFi 500 Mbps products capable of turning any power outlet at home into a high-speed WiFi N 300 Mbps access point. The access points offer easy, plug-and-play setup and provide ultra-fast WiFi coverage to enable quick access to even the most demanding applications. The NETGEAR Powerline 500 WiFi access points are ideal for connecting devices like tablets, laptops and smartphones to fast wireless Internet in the home.

NETGEAR Universal WiFi Range Extender – Powerline PassThru edition (XWNB1601)
The NETGEAR Universal WiFi Range Extender – Powerline PassThru edition (XWNB1601) is a premium range extender combining WiFi and Powerline technologies to seamlessly extend the WiFi signal of a gateway/router to virtually any room in your home.

For more information visit NETGEAR.

Samsung triumphs over Apple in Japan patent case

A Tokyo court ruled on Friday that Samsung Electronics' mobile devices did not violate an Apple Inc. patent involved in synching mobile devices and computers, awarding the South Korean maker a victory a week after it lost a bruising landmark patent case in the United States.

In rejecting Apple's suit, Tokyo District Court Judge Tamotsu Shoji said Samsung's products did not infringe on the U.S. firm's technological scope.

A U.S. federal jury found last week that Apple did not infringe on any of Samsung's patents, while the South Korean firm had copied key features of iPhone.

The same jury awarded Apple $1.05 billion in damages and Apple is now seeking speedy bans on the sale of eight Samsung phones in the U.S. market.

"We welcome the court's decision, which confirmed our long-held position that our products do not infringe Apple's intellectual property," Samsung said in a statement following the verdict from the Tokyo court.

Originally reported by Reuters.

IBM Cloud to Deliver New Home Entertainment Services for Philips Smart TVs

IBM today unveiled a new cloud platform for consumer electronics firms and announced it will power the Philips Smart TV platform for Internet services, which will deliver greater interactive services to millions of TV viewers in more than 30 countries in Europe, as well as Brazil and Argentina.

Through their broadband connections, smart TVs provide consumers with innovative, on-demand access to an unlimited array of entertainment options throughout the Internet. In addition to standard, linear TV, they provide two-way interaction and personalized content, enabling new "intelligent" consumer services. 

Today's announcement at the IFA consumer electronics event in Berlin provides IBM cloud services on a pay-per-use basis to TP Vision, an Amsterdam-based joint venture between Philips and TV manufacturer TPV responsible for the development of Philips Smart TV.

TP Vision needed a cloud computing environment resilient enough to support unexpected service demands at any given time when millions of TV units access a variety of services on its network. 

"IBM's cloud platform allows us to place the service and application intelligence into the cloud, and reduces the complexity of managing software in the TVs for our consumers," said Albert Mombarg, head of Philips Smart TV at TP Vision.

The new IBM cloud platform opens up paths to new revenue. The data stored within the cloud can provide new insights about consumer needs and behavior for the media and entertainment industry, such as recommending TV shows based on past selections. Service providers, chief marketing officers and advertisers can use Big Data analytics to deliver more personalized entertainment options and targeted advertisements. Marketers can generate collective consumer knowledge derived from the aggregation of data from a population of homes, in addition to an individual TV.

"As the Internet and smart devices continue to infiltrate home entertainment, today's consumer electronics manufacturers are looking to deliver new interactive entertainment services," said Bruce Anderson, general manager of IBM's global electronics industry. "Televisions are about to become the next open application platform, similar to the application platforms on mobile devices.  Organizations are turning to the IBM cloud as the channel for their innovation."

IBM Launches IBM SmartCloud Service Delivery
Today IBM unveils a cloud-based platform managed by IBM global cloud data centers, for subscriber and device management, service life-cycle management and more.  IBM's new service delivery platform, called the IBM SmartCloud Service Delivery for Electronics, provides consistent management of millions of different connected consumer devices, provisions services, interfaces with third parties, and acts as a collector of customer intelligence. It bundles services, software, hardware, network and third-party services in a single integrated service, for an all-in price, with per active user pricing, making smarter TV services more cost effective for manufacturers and consumers.

Examples of live solutions demonstrated at IFA include the Philips Smart TV and service portal, and a smart home proof-of-concept, with home management and monitoring, as well as home energy management.

For more information about IBM's global electronics industry, visit http://www.ibm.com/electronics

Annex Products Announces Instatag: More Likes, More Follows

Instatag was developed by Annex Products (Melbourne, Australia) as a solution to the time-consuming task of tagging photos on Instagram. Instatag users can quickly find the most relevant and popular tags that will help them receive more likes and more follows on their Instagram account as more people see their photos.

“We wanted to develop a way that Instagram users could further share their photos and experiences through accurate and relevant hash tags. Our goal was to make hashtagging as quick and easy as taking a photo,” says Rob Ward of Annex Products.

Instatag helps users tag their photos with not only the most talked-about tags, but more importantly, the most relevant tags. This encourages others with similar interests to see and engage with their photos. Instatag also suggests tags based on the user’s current geo-location. Tags associated with venues or landmarks are generated from other tagged photos in the area, and event-related tags such as a sports or concerts are generated from recent location-based trending tags.

Another feature of Instatag is that Instagrammers who often photograph similar subject matter can set and save lists of similar tags. These can then quickly and easily be accessed with just a few taps.

Big Fish Unlimited, A Cloud Gaming Service With More Than 100 Casual Games, Now Available on Google Play

Big Fish, a trusted global leader in casual games, announced today that its universal cloud gaming service, Big Fish Unlimited, is available on Android tablets via Google Play, only a month after making the service generally available on PCs. Big Fish Unlimited enables customers to play casual games that are running in the cloud and are instantly accessible on a variety of connected devices via interactive streaming video. As the games are physically playing in the cloud, game progress is saved remotely, allowing customers to easily continue their sessions across devices, which now includes PC browsers and Android devices, and will expand to support connected TVs later this year through a partnership with Roku.

“With the addition of support for Android devices, Big Fish Unlimited is now a truly multi-platform streaming service and live on two screens: PC and Mobile,” said Will O’Brien, Vice President and General Manager of Cloud Gaming. “We are very excited to support the recently launched, exceptional Nexus 7 tablet from Google. Instant cloud gaming is a perfect fit for this fast-performing device.”

Big Fish Unlimited currently offers more than 100 instant streaming games, and is adding new games every week. Subscription access to the Big Fish Unlimited premium catalog is available for a $7.99 monthly fee. Customers can also play free games from a rotating catalog supported by advertising.

In addition to announcing support for Android, Big Fish is continuing to introduce new features to the service. This week, "My Playlist" went live on Big Fish Unlimited. Now players can manage a queue of games they want to play later.

Big Fish Unlimited is available now on PC browsers at Big Fish http://www.bigfishgames.com/unlimited/ and on Google Play.

Be Creative, Be Expressive with the GALAXY Note II

At the Samsung Mobile Unpacked event held Wednesday at IFA, in Berlin, Samsung introduced the GALAXY Note II, a whole new level of innovation for the GALAXY Note category.

“This year, again at IFA, I am proud to announce the GALAXY Note II, which will encourage users to 'unleash their inner creativity.’ With a perfect viewing experience and unique and differentiated features, users can discover information and capture their ideas faster, express thoughts freely and manage tasks more efficiently,” said JK Shin, President of IT & Mobile Communications Division at Samsung Electronics.

Air View allows users to hover with the S Pen over an email, S Planner, image gallery, or video to preview the content without having to open it. This feature enables users to quickly search and see more information in one view without screen transitions.

A feature called Popup Note extends the concept of Popup Play, which lets users open an S Note instantly as a pop-up window anywhere on the screen. For example, when a user pulls out the S Pen during a phone call, the S Note application automatically pops up on the screen, allowing users to jot down a quick note.

The S Pen’s advanced features provide enhanced capabilities to capture ideas and inspirations instantly, and to combine handwriting with any digital content directly on the screen. The Easy Clip feature allows users to instantly outline and crop any content on the screen in any shape to save, share or paste. Once done cropping the image, users can freely edit the cropped content through coloring, shading, or their own personal handwriting. 

Another expression feature called Idea Visualizer allows users to easily add illustrations by handwriting keywords on the S Note. It provides illustration images that match the handwritten keywords.

The GALAXY Note II features a 5.5” (140.9mm) HD Super AMOLED screen and 16:9 screen ratio. Interior features include a 1.6GHz Quad-Core processor and HSPA Plus or 4G LTE connectivity and is powered by Android™ 4.1, Jelly Bean and has a 3,100mAh battery. The memory options are 16 GB, 32 GB, and 64 GB with an expandable micro SD memory slot.

The GALAXY Note II comes with an 8 megapixel rear-facing and 1.9 megapixel front-facing camera with HD video recording. In addition to that, the GALAXY Note II features a unique camera function called Users can also personalize photos by leaving handwritten notes on the backside of a photo using the S Pen. Handwritten Photo Notes can be shared with others in jpg format.

Available in Marble White or Titanium Gray color options, the Samsung GALAXY Note II is set to launch in October starting in major European, Asian, and Middle East markets.

Full details, video content and product images are available at Samsung’s IFA 2012 microsite: http://samsungifa2012.com

Be The Robot: A Personal Companion for Android Fans

Reality Robotics, a company set up by former WowWee employees - those of Robosapien fame - are planning to unleash a new robot pet for Android fans, and have turned to funding site Kickstarter to help them do it.

Called Be The Robot - BERO for short - the 4-inch robot has been modelled on Google's famous Android character, the original inspiration and form for the project, and will be controlled via an open source app and a Bluetooth-enabled smartphone.

Depending on the BERO model, the robots will react to smartphone notifications and are fully programmable, customisable and voice activated.

"BERO is packed with up to six motors for realistic dance moves with head turns, arm waves, and side to side poses all while playing the user's favourite music," promises Reality Robotics.

All the Google Bug Droid-inspired BERO robots feature a tank-style caterpillar track design, two LED lights for eyes and light-up headphones to flash to the beat of music. They are rechargeable via USB, and an on-board speaker and amplifier will allow users to play WAV audio files from an included SD card.

Two infrared transmitters mean the robot can detect obstacles up to 3-5 inches to the left, right and front.

The company is offering pledges of $35 or more. For that, you get only a shell of the BERO. If you want an actual working model when they come out you'll need to pledge $129.

The BERO is expected to be in the shops in November

Originally posted at Robotics Trends

Razer Launches Aviation Design-Inspired Gaming Headset

Razer­™, a world leader in high-performance gaming hardware and software, today announced the addition of the Razer BlackShark Stereo Gaming Headset. Inspired by tactical aviator headsets and armed with total audio immersion, Razer's newest piece of audio hardware comes as a Razer-branded version of the popular Battlefield 3 Razer BlackShark, a headset that the company developed from the ground up for the Battlefield franchise and released earlier this year at E3.

Designed to look and feel like the headsets worn by attack helicopter pilots, the Razer-green accented BlackShark is your battle-ready solution for powerful, immersive PC gaming audio. The Razer BlackShark delivers superior sound isolation, with full circumaural ear cups.  The headset is built with memory foam ear cushions that mold to the shape of your ears for maximum comfort over extended use, making the Razer BlackShark the most vital weapon for your total PC gaming and music enjoyment.

Gamers interested in a versatile headset on-the-go need look no further. Detach the microphone boom and take the lightweight headphones with you for a stylish audio solution. The BlackShark plugs directly into any device with a 3.5mm audio jack, offering compatibility with nearly every audio device on the market today.

"Soldiers in intense combat situations need to be fully focused with minimal distractions to take the objectives successfully and come out alive.  The same goes for gamers seeking the win – and that's what the Razer BlackShark gaming headset was built to deliver," said Robert "RazerGuy" Krakoff, president of Razer USA.

ABOUT THE RAZER BLACKSHARK GAMING HEADSET:

With a sleek aluminum design and green accents, the Razer BlackShark brings forth extreme comfort for long, extended missions and top-notch sound isolation. The circumaural design and leatherette sealant of the headset's ear cups, block out all unwanted, ambient noise and allows players to only hear the awesome, intense audio of their games and music. The Razer BlackShark's detachable boom microphone and audio / mic splitter adapter cable make this a highly versatile headset, at home both at a gaming setup and out on the streets for music playback.  Go from immersive gaming audio and smack-talking foes at your desktop to listening to your music out and about in seconds. 

Price:

US $119.99 / EU €119.99

Availability:
Razerzone.com – September 2012
Worldwide – September 2012

Product features: 

• Stereo sound with enhanced bass
• Sound-isolating circumaural ear cup design
• Detachable boom microphone for voice chat or added mobility
• Audio / mic splitter adapter cable
• Memory foam leatherette ear cushions for maximum comfort
• 40mm neodymium magnet stereo drivers

Audio Usage

• Devices with 3.5mm audio jack

Audio + Microphone Usage

• Devices with 3.5mm audio + mic combined jack OR separate 3.5mm jacks for audio and line-in.
  (Works with all portable audio/mobile/computing devices including the iPod, iPhone, iPad, Kindle Fire, Android phones, Razer Blade, Macbook Pro, and today's newer Ultrabooks.)

Audio / Mic Splitter Adapter Usage

• Devices with separate 3.5mm audio and microphone jacks
  (Works with most laptop and desktop computers)

For more information about the Razer BlackShark, please visit http://www.razerzone.com/gaming-audio/razer-blackshark.